Helping California Solar Recover from NEM 3

Sustainability Roundtable, Inc.'s (SR Inc) Net Zero Consortium for Buyers (NZCB) announced the achievement of its goal to enable NZCB Members to cause 1 Gigawatt (GW) of new renewable energy by 2025. In accomplishing this goal, NZCB Member enterprises have made SR Inc’s NZCB the leading platform for aggregated procurement of utility-scale clean energy in North America and Europe. SR Inc’s Gigawatt milestone follows news of its official transition to a Public Benefit Corporation (PBC), reifying its commitment to higher standards of purpose, accountability, and transparency.

The NZCB is a confidential buyers’ community for Advanced Market Commitments (AMCs) to democratize global utility-scale clean energy and decarbonization. Its climate finance mechanism, “VPPA 2.0,” optimizes the virtual power purchase agreement (VPPA) transaction process and structure by centering buyer-directed, aggregated procurements through reverse auctions. This approach creates a risk-managed, auditable procurement process based on AMCs to procure purchaser-caused utility-scale clean energy.

The NZCB’s VPPA 2.0 approach addresses a critical issue in the increasingly confused global Energy Attribute Certificate (EAC) market: purchaser causation. By procuring exclusively purchaser-caused EACs (PC EACs), its reverse auctions yield contracts that corporate buyers can crucially and unassailably claim actually cause new renewable energy projects. VPPA 2.0 provides corporate sustainability teams with universally recognized, gold-standard solutions for Scope 2 emissions mitigation and 100% renewable electricity. By opening its buyer-directed reverse auctions to the general market in 2025, the NZCB will enable even more enterprises to set and achieve emission reduction goals without the reputational risk or volatile costs of unbundled RECs.

“We are incredibly proud to have achieved the Gigawatt goal, showing firsthand how impactful the VPPA 2.0 approach can be. To reach this goal, the NZCB team assisted over 30 world-leading enterprises in seven buyer-directed aggregated procurement reverse auctions for VPPA2.0,” said Jim Boyle, CEO of SR Inc. “The result is over 1.5 billion dollars to finance new renewable energy projects in North America and Europe – a figure that pales in comparison to what the NZCB's exponential growth can and will cause.”

The aggregated procurements facilitated by SR Inc’s NZCB team include new capacity generation at the Mesquite Star wind farm, the Azure Sky wind project, the Liberty Solar project and the Millers Branch Solar Facility in Texas, the Prairie Solar project in Illinois, and the Serbal solar project in Europe. The emphasis on the ERCOT and MISO regions enables new projects to come online to support grid resilience and energy independence in both areas. Participating corporate buyers have included Biogen, Wayfair, Synopsys, Uber, and many more.

With its initial 1 GW goal achieved, the NZCB now focuses on its new target: 10 GW of VPPA 2.0 AMCs for new renewable energy through 2030. The NZCB has already begun organizing the world’s high-credit buyers of off-site, utility-scale renewable energy for the “Next Gigawatt” of AMCs, which it hopes to achieve by the Summit for Sustainable Business IX in March 2026. This timetable aligns with the call by COP 28’s UAE Consensus to triple global new renewable energy deployment by 2030 – a climate imperative that requires business model innovations such as VPPA 2.0 to achieve the needed scale of clean energy transactions.

Sustainability Roundtable | www.sustainround.com

The United States' largest proposed solar project, Sunstone Solar, received its final discretionary approval from the Oregon Energy Facility Siting Council (EFSC). The approval was the final step in the state's rigorous evaluation and public engagement process and authorizes project owner Pine Gate Renewables to proceed with constructing the 1200 MW solar and 1200 MW storage project. This milestone marks a significant step forward for Pine Gate Renewables, the state of Oregon, and clean energy nationwide.

Prioritizing community needs and benefits, Pine Gate worked extensively with Morrow County and agricultural organizations to create a program that aims to offset the project's impact on the local agricultural economy. The first-of-its-kind initiative will invest over a thousand dollars per project acre into a County-managed fund for programs that support the local agricultural economy and improve the long-term viability and resilience of Morrow County's wheat farms.

Pine Gate is in discussions with customers and local utilities to purchase the electricity and environmental attributes of the energy produced by the project which will interconnect to the Bonneville Power Administration via the Umatilla Electric Cooperative system. The project will begin the engineering and procurement process in early 2025 ahead of phased construction starting in 2026.

"Oregon's energy facility permitting process is one of the most rigorous in the entire country," said Ben Catt, Chief Executive Officer of Pine Gate Renewables. "The recent unanimous permit approval is a testament to the way our team worked with stakeholders to provide a win-win for Oregon and the Morrow County community."

"The fight against the climate crisis depends on a variety of successful energy solutions like Pine Gate Renewables' solar power and energy storage project in Eastern Oregon," said United States Senator Ron Wyden. "This is just another example of the important federal investments I fought for in the Inflation Reduction Act, and I will continue to advocate for tech-neutral solutions in our tax code that promote innovation and efficiency in Oregon and across the nation."

"As a lifelong resident of Morrow County, I'm excited for Sunstone Solar to move forward so the local community can benefit from the economic opportunities that the project will bring," said Ken Grieb, a wheat farmer and landowner in the project. "Pine Gate has demonstrated how large energy facility development can be done thoughtfully and collaboratively."

Pine Gate owns and operates 17 other solar projects in Oregon. The company acquired the Sunstone Solar project from Gallatin Power Partners in 2022.

Pine Gate Renewables | https://pinegaterenewables.com/pine-gate-home/

LS Energy Solutions (“LS-ES”), a leading provider of grid-connected energy storage solutions, announced that the company completed a battery energy storage system for Citizens Energy Corporation (“Citizens”) in Greater Boston, integrating a 4.99 MW/15 MWh battery energy storage system (BESS) with an energy management system to meet Wellesley Municipal Light Plant (WMLP)’s requirements. The system will be used for WMLP and will significantly benefit their customers in the town of Wellesley, Massachusetts. The project will provide electricity cost savings during annual and monthly peak demand periods along with emergency backup power to essential Town services in the event of a power outage. In commissioning the site, LS-ES enabled the peak shaving, backup power, and ancillary services required by Citizens and WMLP.

Over a twenty-year period, the BESS project is expected to yield more than $8 million in savings for WMLP ratepayers by reducing reliance on expensive peak power. Located adjacent to a WMLP substation, the project has six 20-foot battery containers and six inverter containers. It has the capacity to charge and store more than 20 megawatt-hours of energy during low-cost periods of low energy demand and discharge that energy during higher-cost periods of peak energy demand. The system will dispatch stored energy during peak demand periods to lessen WMLP’s power needs – a critical benefit that will reduce the Town’s power costs. This project directly aligns with the Town of Wellesley’s climate action goals to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

The BESS can also serve as a source of backup power for Wellesley’s critical infrastructure should the main grid fail. The LS-ES inverters convert the DC voltage from the batteries into AC voltage that can be used by Wellesley’s town services, enabling the islanding needed to power the town services independent of the primary grid.

“We admire the mission of both Citizens Energy Corporation and the Town of Wellesley to cultivate municipal distributed energy, and we’re proud to have integrated the WMLP BESS for this community,” says Curt Feldman, Vice President at LS Energy Solutions. “Our system solution is ideal for using battery storage to optimize grid energy through peak shaving, lower area electricity costs, and provide a resilient source of backup power.”

“Reducing energy costs with clean power is at the core of our projects, and we’re excited to see Wellesley embrace a BESS that will achieve those goals thanks to LS-ES’s work integrating the battery storage system,” says Steve Bern, Director of Business Development at Citizens Energy Corporation. “We hope that our Wellesley BESS project will serve as an example for other communities looking for ways to reduce energy bills with reliable backup power, and we look forward to working with LS Energy Solutions on future energy storage projects.”

Citizens and WMLP recently hosted a ribbon-cutting event that included state and local representatives, along with members from the project team that consisted of LS-ES, Miller Bros Electric, Schneider Electric, and Newtility.

Citizens Energy Corporation | https://citizensenergy.com/

LS Energy Solutions | https://www.ls-es.com/

Nexamp, the largest distributed solar power generation and community solar company in the United States, has partnered with Fuyo General Lease (USA) Inc., a U.S. branch of Fuyo General Lease Co., Ltd. in Japan, to deploydistributed solar power generation projects in Illinois and New York, bringing both states closer to their carbon-free power goals.

Fuyo Lease will finance a 350+ MW community solar portfolio (expected to begin commercial operation in 2025-2027) to be developed by Nexamp, primarily in Illinois. That portfolio will help reduce the cost of electricity for more 10,000 households within ComEd and Ameren’s electricity service area and create a more resilient, more flexible grid. The portfolio will enable Illinois to bring on more energy to meet growing demand for power, without increasing harmful emissions. 

These projects will also accelerate Nexamp’s workforce development initiatives, in line with the state’s commitment to developing a workforce for an electrified future. The construction, operation and management of the solar projects associated with this investment will create approximately 3,000 jobs across Illinois and New York and provide employment opportunities for participants in Nexamp’s new fellowship program.

As Nexamp CEO Zaid Ashai explains, ‘’The increasing pace at which we are deploying new solar generating assets reflects the urgency of the current energy crisis and the need for solutions that make our grid more sustainable and more resilient. This investment allows us to continue that work and will make the many benefits of solar more widely available to Illinois residents and small businesses.”

‘’Fuyo is very pleased to be a part of the community solar projects in Illinois and New York,” notes Fuyo Lease CEO Hiroaki Oda. “We aim to contribute to the achievement of renewable energy targets and the development of local communities in those states through supporting the projects. We will continue to promote initiatives that contribute to the realization of a prosperous society and sustainable growth through our partnership with Nexamp.’’

“When Nexamp formally established its second headquarters here in Chicago earlier in the year, we knew that valuable job creation, renewable energy production, and consumer savings were on the horizon,” adds Illinois Governor JB Pritzker. “This investment will further accelerate Nexamp’s ongoing progress in the state, adding an estimated 2,500 jobs, and will continue to solidify Illinois as a climate leader. Clean energy is a key driver in both combatting the negative effects of climate change and strengthening the economy for the future.”

Nexamp | www.nexamp.com

Fuyo Lease Group | www.fgl.co.jp/eng/

Boviet Solar Technology Co. Ltd. (Boviet Solar), a leading solar energy technology company specializing in monocrystalline PV cells and advanced Gamma Series Monofacial and Vega Series Bifacial PV Modules, is proud to announce its continued recognition as a Tier 1 PV module manufacturer by Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF) for Q4 2024. This prestigious ranking reflects Boviet Solar’s ongoing commitment to excellence and was first achieved in 2017.

BloombergNEF, a leading authority on research and analysis in the transition to a low-carbon economy, employs a stringent tiering system to assess the bankability of PV module manufacturers. Achieving Tier 1 status requires manufacturers to supply their own-brand, self-manufactured products to at least six separate solar projects, each backed by non-recourse financing from six different banks within the last two years. These projects, with capacities of 5.0 MW or more, must be listed in the BNEF database with publicly accessible details about their location, size, developer, financial backers, and module supplier.

Scott Chen, VP of Global Sales and Marketing at Boviet Solar, remarked, “Maintaining our Tier 1 status reflects the trust our partners place in us and the strength of our product portfolio. It demonstrates that Boviet Solar remains at the forefront of delivering solutions that meet the highest standards of reliability and bankability.”

Sienna Cen, President of Boviet Solar USA, stated, “This recognition is not just an accolade; it’s a reflection of the hard work and innovation our teams bring to the table every day. As we continue to serve the growing demands of utility-scale and large commercial and industrial applications, we remain committed to quality, innovation, and collaboration with our valued partners.”

BNEF’s Tier 1 bankability rating serves as a vital benchmark for investors, developers, EPCs, and asset owners, offering a clear measure of a manufacturer’s long-term stability and product dependability. This designation supports critical decision-making by guiding capital investments, supplier selections, and project implementation. By helping stakeholders evaluate performance, mitigate risks, and make well-informed choices, the Tier 1 rating promotes healthy competition and elevates industry standards.

In addition to this accolade, Boviet Solar has also been ranked among the top 10 PV module manufacturers by Wood Mackenzie and recognized as one of the top 10 financially stable PV module manufacturers by Sinovoltaics this year. These rankings highlight Boviet Solar’s exceptional performance, financial stability, and leadership in the global solar market.

Boviet Solar | www.bovietsolar.com

Pacific American Group (PAG) has introduced the advanced EV charging technology of Smappee at its Sausalito headquarters, enabling the real estate firm to meet growing EV charging demand without a costly electrical overhaul. Smappee’s intelligent energy management system integrates seamlessly with PAG’s solar panels and backup generator, avoiding the need for extensive infrastructure expansion. In partnership with Symmetric Energy for the installation, PAG reports that the solution has saved them over $50,000 in upgrade costs and shaved nearly two years off project timeline.

Sustainable High-Speed EV Charging without Compromise

When PAG sought to add EV chargers to a building already at maximum electrical capacity, they initially faced a challenging upgrade process requiring substantial time and investment. With Smappee’s advanced energy management technology, however, PAG was able to install three high-speed EV chargers without sacrificing charging capacity or performance. The solution eliminated the need for a PG&E service upgrade or electrical panel upgrade, saving the company over $50,000 and reducing the project timeline by nearly two years.

“Our sustainability goals are ambitious, and our electrical capacity was already stretched,” said Bruce Parkinson, head of PAG’s sustainability initiatives. “Smappee’s technology allowed us meet our goals without the disruption and expense of a major upgrade.”

Maximizing Energy Efficiency and Sustainability

Smappee’s dynamic load-balancing system maximizes power efficiency, intelligently adjusting in real-time to distribute energy across EV chargers and building operations. Integrated with PAG’s solar array, Smappee directs energy from renewable sources to the chargers while also supporting generator functionality during grid outages. By leveraging solar power, the building meets 75% of its total energy needs from renewable sources, with 21.9% of total solar energy allocated to EV charging—allowing all three EVs to charge sustainably and efficiently.

“Smappee’s technology enabled us provide high-speed charging without compromising performance,” noted Elliott Jessup, co-founder of Symmetric Energy. “Smappee’s system balances solar energy with building demands and aligns perfectly with PAG’s aesthetic and sustainability goals perfectly.”

A Future-Proof Charging Solution with Tangible Benefits

Smappee’s chargers provide PAG with a scalable, intuitive solution designed for longevity and environmental responsibility. The system’s dedicated energy monitoring platform tracks usage in real time, promoting sustainability and supporting PAG’s green initiatives. Solar-powered EV charging helps PAG avoid the emissions associated with over 18,000 miles of driving per year, equivalent to preventing the use of 838 gallons of gasoline or planting 338 trees annually. Additionally, PAG’s employees save approximately $6,800 in annual fuel costs by transitioning to electric vehicles.

Built with recyclability in mind, Smappee’s chargers are designed with minimal plastics for extended life, reinforcing PAGs commitment to sustainability. “Smappee’s solution has proven invaluable to our sustainability goals,” said Parkinson. “The energy-monitoring dashboard displayed in our lobby not only tracks energy use but also promotes awareness and advances our grid independence.”

Smappee | www.smappee.com

Symmetric Energy | https://www.symmetricenergy.com/

Intelligent power management company Eaton will provide a renewable energy microgrid at Maplewood Intermediate/Middle School in Menasha, Wisconsin, to support affordable, resilient and sustainable power. The system will be the largest of its kind in the state and is anticipated to help the Menasha Joint School District save $190,000 in annual energy costs. Scheduled for completion in 2025, the project aims to achieve net zero energy status and will serve approximately 1,000 students.

"One major goal for the district was to ensure our new facility was an energy efficient and sustainable model conserving taxpayer dollars and natural resources," said Brian Adesso, director of business services at Menasha Joint School District. “From project visualization to design and installation, Eaton’s depth of expertise and comprehensive solutions have proven invaluable in our journey toward net zero.”

The Menasha Joint School District is constructing Maplewood Intermediate/Middle School from the ground-up to provide a modern and sustainable learning environment that utilizes advanced energy conservation strategies and contributes to regional carbon neutrality goals. Eaton is helping the school build a solar-plus-storage microgrid that incorporates 1.3 megawatts (MWac) of solar PV panels, energy storage and natural gas generators to sustainably generate all the energy required for operations and provide carbon-friendly power. The project demonstrates how Eaton’s Buildings as a Grid approach helps customers build flexible energy systems to manage power far more effectively.

“From the critical community infrastructure to the world’s most demanding industries, we’re proud to provide the safe, sustainable and resilient solutions our customers need to simplify their transition to a low-carbon energy future,” said Nelly Maximous, vice president of energy transition sales at Eaton. “This project is a prime example of how sustainable electrification can support a stronger and greener future. We’re confident our proven expertise and clean energy management solutions will provide long-term value for the region, school district and environment.” 

Eaton’s new microgrid controller and battery energy storage system are at the heart of the solution, enabling the school district to manage where, when and how electricity is consumed. The microgrid controller is fully integrated into a switchboard, which is a foundational electrical component used to help power facilities everywhere, making it easier and faster to deploy a microgrid right out of the box. Eaton’s xStorage battery energy storage system (BESS) enables the school to strategically store and dispatch energy to maintain uptime and maximize onsite solar consumption to reduce energy costs. 

The Menasha Joint School District is pursuing Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) tax credits to maximize the project’s value. Eaton guided the microgrid design and equipment specifications to effectively address the IRA’s domestic preference requirements. To learn more about Eaton’s expertise and support for navigating the government stimulus funding process, visit Eaton.com/StrongerFuture. 

Paul Ryan, Eaton’s general manager of connected solutions and EV charging, delivered a keynote focused on the practical strategies electrifying energy use during the Reuters Energy Transition North America 2024 event in Houston on December 4. 

Learn more about Eaton’s Buildings as a Grid approach to the energy transition.

Eaton | https://www.eaton.com/us/en-us.html